Page 92 of A Heart So Savage

“Kingston tell you that?” Carson’s gaze raked Ava’s body, a grin twisting his pale, bloated face. “He’s a bad guy, sis. A kidnapper. A deviant. I hear he even sells women and little kids into sex slavery. Probably shouldn’t believe anything he says.”

“There’s evidence, Carson. You and Judd Vanderhorn. His dad. I want to know how you did it.” Ava sidled away as Carson advanced on her. They circled each other like wary animals. “Why you did it.”

“Do you think I’m stupid?” Carson snarled. “I’m not telling you shit, not that it matters if I did. You won’t be around much longer. The little fucking princess of Bitter Springs. Mom and Dad’s golden child. Soon, you’ll be nothing but a piece of meat for men to use however they want. For as long as they want.”

“I won’t let you hurt me anymore, Carson.” Ava’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not that frightened, scared girl you abused and sold to your friends. You will pay for that and for what you did to Mom and Dad. And Kingston, too.”

Carson advanced on her slowly, his laugh a raspy cackle. “What I did to Kingston? Oh, you’re talking about the hit I put on him. Lot of good that did. The stupid motherfucker we hired missed his target. But that’s okay. When I find him, I’ll carve him up myself for screwing up the job.”

Ava shook her head. “You won’t find him. Kingston beat you to it. He has him, and if the man isn’t already dead, he soon will be. Kingston is one step ahead of you, Carson. Always one step ahead.”

“Well, guess that explains why Jeff and Brad are both dead,” Carson sneered. “Drug overdose and suicide by hanging, my ass. Their bodies were found yesterday, but I’ve got serious doubts when it comes to the official cause of death. I mean, everyone knows Kingston Winter is a killer. And so clever when covering up his tracks.”

Shock vibrated through Ava. “They are dead?”How did Kingston manage it? Was there anyone or anywhere the man couldn’t reach?

“Yeah, Ava. Dead. As dead as you will be when your new owner tires of you.”

Carson lunged at her with a speed Ava did not believe possible, considering his condition. Gripping her by the arms, he shoved her against the wall with such force it knocked the breath from her. She lost her grip on the knife as she struggled with him.

For all his drug-induced wiriness and pale features, Carson retained some remnants of his high school and college football days. He was still so strong, so overpowering. Within seconds, both of his hands circled her neck. When he squeezed, his eyes glittered with hate and excitement.

“I don’t want to kill you, little sis. Just need to get a little more cooperation from you until everyone gets here. We’ve got a going away party planned for you. Something a little whore like you will enjoy. Bet you’ve got some tricks you learned after all these weeks fucking Kingston. He always was a kinky bastard.”

Pinpoints of light flashed behind Ava’s eyelids. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Carson was strangling her to the point of unconsciousness. Once again, she would be at his mercy. A repeat of that awful night at Judd Vanderhorn’s house, only a million times worse, loomed before her. If she let this happen, if she didn’t fight back with every fiber of her being, the true nightmare would begin.

Instead of grabbing the hands wrapped so tight around her throat and trying to force them away, Ava blindly thrust a hand into the coat’s pocket. The knife’s serrated edge sliced two of her own fingers but she did not react to the pain. Her survival, her life, was at stake. It was all that mattered.

And Kingston. He matters most of all. God, please don’t let me die before I have a chance to tell him I love him. That I’ve always loved him…

Somehow, Ava withdrew the knife from her pocket. Gripping the handle as tight as her oxygen-deprived brain allowed, she wedged it between their bodies. Carson did not react, his fascinated gaze riveted on her face as she struggled to breathe.

Ava stabbed wildly at his midsection.

Carson was so high that at first, the attack did not register. He stared into Ava’s eyes, watching as her lips surely began turning blue. A satisfied grin curved his mouth before agony invaded his drug-dulled nerves. His gaze dropped to where the knife protruded from beneath his ribcage. One hand released its grip around her neck and touched the blade’s gleaming handle.

Ava took a deep coughing breath, sucking in air. Her throat burned as if liquid fire was being poured down it. She swayed, the wall behind her a brace that kept her from collapsing.

“You little bitch. You stabbed me. You fuckingstabbedme!” Carson wheezed. Grabbing the knife, he jerked it free and threw it across the room. It clattered to the ground while he pressed his palm to the wound, blood quickly seeping through his fingers. “Oh, you’re gonna pay for this, Ava. Me and the boys, we’re gonna leave you in pieces.”

His hands came, ready to wrap around her throat again, but Ava anticipated the attack. Jamming her knee into his groin, they both fell to the floor with Carson landing on top. He crushed her body as Ava held tight to the piece of silverware she had stolen. With an anguished cry, she reached around her brother as if embracing him.

The fork plunged beneath Carson’s left shoulder blade. She pushed it in as far as the tines would go.

He howled, rolling off her while desperately reaching for the fork’s silver handle. But it was no use. The only way it was coming out was if someone did it for him.

Ava scrambled to her hands and knees, coughing as darkness threatened to overtake her.

Get up! Get the knife. Kill him before he gets his hands on me again. I won’t get a second chance.

Through bloodshot eyes, Ava frantically looked around the room, locating the weapon where it had skittered across the scarred and dirty wood floors. Adrenaline fueled her as she crawled toward it. The knife was just inches away from her bloody fingers when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

She was hauled upward until her feet dangled off the floor and spun around until she could see Carson getting to his feet.

He was still grabbing at the fork embedded in his shoulder, spewing curses with such vehemence that spittle flew from his lips. It was almost comical, watching him go round and round in circles. Ava couldn’t tear her eyes away from the spectacle of it until Drake Cornerstone rushed in from the hallway.

He stopped Carson’s futile spinning and jerked the fork free. Tossing it aside, the prosecutor grimaced at the blood now staining his hands before his gaze snagged Ava’s. He grinned as the arms wrapped around her body kept her imprisoned. Arms that she now scratched and clawed while the man she once dated simply watched. Why wasn’t he helping her?

“Drake?” She cried in a rough voice. “Please…help me!”

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